Press Releases, 7/4/2017

Foreign Ministry at SuomiAreena in Pori

Press release 126/20174 July 2017

As in previous years, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will be present at the most significant outdoor public debate forum, SuomiAreena in Pori, on its opening day Monday 10 July. This year, the event will celebrate Finland’s centenary in cooperation with the main partners, the Finland 100 Secretariat and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

Foreign Minister Timo Soini will participate in a discussion on Arctic matters (Arktis – näkökulmia pohjoisiin alueisiin) on the Bepop stage (shopping centre Bepop, Yrjönkatu 22) at 11.45.–13.00. Other participants in the discussion will be Tero Vauraste, President & CEO of Arctia, Liisa Rohweder, Secretary General of WWF Finland, Heikki Paltto, I Vice-Chair of the Saami Parliament and Markku Heikkilä, Head of Science Communications at the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland. Mirja Sipinen from MTV will host the event.

The three ministers from the Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Soini, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen and Minister for Nordic Cooperation Anne Berner will take part in a review of topical foreign policy matters on the Antinkatu 5 stage at 17.00–18.15 (Kolme ministeriä estradilla – katsaus ajankohtaisiin ulkopoliittisiin aiheisiin). The discussion will be hosted by Susanna Niinivaara, Press Officer at the Finnish Consulate General in St. Petersburg. The Ministers will present their views on central foreign policy matters of topical interest.

During the SuomiAreena event, the Ministers representing the Foreign Ministry will also attend events organised by others. Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Mykkänen will participate, for instance, in a discussion on companies’ internationalisation (Yritykset maailmalle – Näin se tehdään yhdessä) on the Eetu square stage on Wednesday 12 July at 11.45–13.00; at the same time, Minister for Nordic Cooperation Berner will attend a discussion on the digital economy (Digitalouden isojako – voiko kaikkien kakku kasvaa?) at shopping centre Puuvilla on Siltakatu 14. A full list of the events where the three Ministers from the Foreign Ministry will be present can be found on the SuomiAreena website at http://suomiareena.fi/ohjelmapuhujat#/.

The events on Monday can be followed on the Foreign Ministry’s social media channels. Sign up on Facebook or follow the Ministry’s Twitter feeds using #UMPori.